Hotel101 Global partners with Horizon Group to develop 10,000 rooms in Saudi Arabia worth US$2.5B

SAUDI ARABIA – Hotel101 Global (Hotel101) has signed a Joint Partnership Agreement with Horizon Group (Horizon) to spearhead the brand’s expansion into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The partnership envisions the introduction of the fast-growing Hotel101 brand and the development of up to 10,000 rooms, representing a project value of approximately US$2.5 billion (Php137.5 billion).

An initial five locations have been identified for the Hotel101 projects, with the first intended to be in Medina, followed by Riyadh, Jeddah, Abha, and Alula.

Each site is planned to average around 500 rooms, aligning with Hotel101’s standardized “one room” concept designed to offer consistent, no-frills accommodations globally.

This asset-light “condotel” business model aims to scale efficiently while maximizing value for both unit owners and guests.

Hotel101’s Founder, Edgar “Injap” Sia II, expressed confidence in Saudi Arabia’s leadership and their Vision 2030 plans, believing the Hotel101 concept would significantly contribute to the Kingdom’s target for room keys and support the company’s global vision of reaching one million Hotel101 rooms worldwide.

CEO Hannah Yulo-Luccini conveyed that they felt fortunate to have found the right local partner in Horizon Group to rapidly expand the brand in Saudi Arabia, which is among the 25 countries identified for initial expansion due to its high domestic and international tourism growth.

Horizon Group is a Saudi-headquartered investment company led by the Sharbatly brothers and Wael Daqal, with strong ties to Alnahla Group and SAMACO.

The group focuses on partnering and investing in Vision 2030 industries, particularly hospitality and manufacturing.

The partnership leverages Hotel101’s high-efficiency HappyRoom concept and condo-hotel funding model alongside Horizon’s deep market knowledge and regional connections.

Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector has shown robust growth, welcoming over 27 million international tourists and 79 million domestic tourists in 2023, with total spending reaching US$67 billion.

The Kingdom aims to attract more than 150 million visitors by 2030, creating substantial demand for hotels, shopping, food and beverage, and transportation infrastructure.

The agreement was signed by Hotel101 Global CEO Hannah Yulo-Luccini and Horizon Group CEO Abdulrahman Sharbatly in Medina, Saudi Arabia, witnessed by key executives from both companies, including Edgar “Injap” Sia II and Khaled Sharbatly.

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